Chapter 39 : Church

After the Golden Archer raid.

We met up with Medea and the others, gave Liz first aid, and then headed back to the Emiya residence.

After hearing the situation, Sera took Liz to the castle. It turns out that Liz was not human after all, and normal treatments would not be able to cure her.

Illya was under pressure from Archer, and as soon as she got home she fell ill again. "Please take care of Illya," Archer had asked her, so if anything happened to Illya, Serah might kill her.

Illya was currently asleep in the next room, and the rest of the group were listening to Saber's story.

Apparently, Saber was also summoned as Saber in the previous Holy Grail War, and fought as the Servant of Emiya's adoptive father.

The Golden Archer was also a heroic spirit summoned in the previous battle, and had been materializing in this world ever since ten years ago.

Furthermore, it seems that during the battle, Saber received a marriage proposal from Archer, but she decided to leave that matter entirely to Emiya.

"So, did Saber lose to Archer in the last Holy Grail War?"

"...No, we were unable to settle this ten years ago. I was ordered by Kiritsugu to destroy the Holy Grail with the Holy Sword, but I used up all my power and disappeared."

"Destroy the Holy Grail? Why again?"

"I don't know. I never really understood what Kiritsugu was thinking."

Saber answered my question with a sad look on her face.

According to Saber, Archer was an extremely powerful Servant, and even without Emiya Kiritsugu's intervention, it was doubtful she would have been able to win. Furthermore, despite having come into contact with him multiple times, her true identity is still unknown.

"Can't you tell even when you see the Noble Phantasm? The sword that shoots out from that magic circle. That's the Noble Phantasm, right?"

With such distinctive abilities, it would be easy to identify them. Or so I thought, but the details were different.

"No, if it's used in so many different ways it's actually harder to pinpoint."

Saber nodded at Emiya's words.

I had thought that Noble Phantasm was a sword that could launch attacks from a magic circle, but it seems that in reality it was something completely different.

Each weapon that was shot out of the magic circle was a different one, and all of them were genuine Noble Phantasms. That means that from what I've seen, he must have more than twenty Noble Phantasms. And it doesn't seem like he's exhausted them yet.

It seems that none of the Heroic Spirits who can use that many Noble Phantasms have any idea. Of course, I have no idea either.

"Generally speaking, isn't the limit for a single person to have three Noble Phantasms? It's impossible for a Heroic Spirit like that to exist."

"But, since they do exist, it would be strange if there weren't any heroes who fit that description."

"That's what you say, but Noble Phantasms are also symbols to Heroic Spirits. That's why they try not to use them until the very last moment. Unleashing a Noble Phantasm like that goes against the way of a Heroic Spirit in the first place."

Tohsaka countered my complaints, which were almost like a complaint. Well, that's certainly true.

Just as Excalibur brings to mind King Arthur, if one knows the treasure, one can also determine the true identity of its owner. This was supposed to be the principle of the Holy Grail War.

As long as one knows an opponent's true identity, it is possible to discover their abilities and weaknesses from anecdotes surrounding them, making it possible to devise countermeasures against any foe, no matter how powerful.

In fact, we were able to defeat Berserker precisely because we knew his true identity. However, that principle doesn't apply to Archer.

"Maybe I should change my way of thinking."

If the principles don't apply, there's no point in thinking along those lines. But conversely, the fact that the principles don't apply can itself be a hint.

"That's right... For example, are there any heroes whose hobby is collecting Noble Phantasms?"

Like Benkei or that guy from Excalibur. I personally think the Big Bridge battle is one of the best FF songs.

"...That's it!"

"What?"

Tohsaka snapped her fingers at the words I casually muttered.

"Gilgamesh, mankind's oldest hero-king, once obtained everything in the world! The many weapons he possessed passed into the hands of various people after his death, and their excellent performance led to their names being remembered for generations to come. So it's not that he possessed countless Noble Phantasms, but rather that the weapons he possessed became Noble Phantasms!"

Bingo! I see, that character had an origin like that.

But still, Arthur and Gilgamesh... In Namco x Capricorn, they were both on each other's side.

"So, now that we know its true identity, what is our countermeasure? Do you think we can do something about it with the cards we have in hand?"

"Yes. He has a lot of Noble Phantasms, but he's not the master of them. In other words, he's the type that relies on quantity over quality. So we can just attack with more than we have in abundance. Luckily, I have a card that makes that possible."

Tohsaka answered my question while looking at Emiya. I see, it's certainly possible.

"It looks like we can manage somehow... However, he also has a trump card, something he can keep for later. Don't let your guard down, okay?"

"I won't, we're at best evenly matched. Say, do you think your sweet talk will work on him?"

"That's impossible."

He answered Tohsaka's words immediately.

My card is bluffing, so there's literally no point in talking to him first.

However, Archer, even though he was speaking, didn't seem to be having a conversation. Or rather, he seemed like the type who would kill someone for something like making eye contact with him. At worst, I felt like I would be even less able to communicate with him than with Berserker.

Tohsaka sighed and muttered "That's true" in response to my answer, then turned to me again and said:

"Maybe it's best if you don't stay in this house any longer."

"Well, it was a short time, but I'm grateful for your help."

Early the next morning, I slung a bag packed with not many belongings over my shoulder and said my farewells to Emiya Shirou, the head of this household.

If I thought about what Tohsaka said to me last night carefully, it made sense; in fact, it was a perfectly natural decision.

In short, the range of the Hero King's attacks is too wide. Moreover, from yesterday's battle, he didn't seem to care about witnesses or the damage to the surrounding area. In other words, if he stayed here, there was a high chance that he would be caught in the crossfire.

I intend to attack him once I'm fully prepared, but there's a good chance he'll attack before then. If that happens, not only will I be in danger, but someone else could die because they care about me.

There is no longer any point in targeting a person like me in the Holy Grail War. Therefore, it would be safer for both of us if I just kept my distance from Emiya and the others.

Whether it was Lancer or the Hero King, they had taken all the countermeasures they could at this point.

Of course, unexpected situations could occur, but Medea will remain, and Tohsaka and Emiya have high response capabilities and abilities in that area. It should be fine.

On the other hand, I can no longer put myself on the line. Staying in this house would not only be useless, it would only bring about negative results.

There was no reason to object to leaving.

But I couldn't nod right away. Actually, it was strange that I hadn't said anything about it myself, even though I'd been thinking about it for a long time. On the contrary, I was shocked to find myself searching for a reason why I had to stay behind.

In short, I seem to have a sense of camaraderie with these guys, and so I feel guilty about being the only one to leave the ranks.

They each tried to persuade me with their own words.

It's dangerous to be here, it's fine without me, stuff like that. The final blow was the media, though. Even when they say "I'm in the way" with tears in their eyes, it's not very convincing.

Well, even if I insist on staying, I'll obviously feel bad about being a hindrance. If it's the same no matter which option I choose, the way of a loner is to choose the option that doesn't cause trouble for others.

That's why I decided to use the system I heard about the day before yesterday, that protects defeated Masters. Right now, I'm saying my final goodbyes to Emiya and Saber.

"No, I'm the one who was saved. If Hikigaya hadn't been there, I might have died somewhere."

That's what Emiya said after he'd said that he'd been taken care of. It wasn't just polite talk... it was just his personality.

"Saber, I'm sorry. Even though it was a plan, I still criticized you so harshly."

I'm talking about the night I fought Saber and the others at school. It's true that it was a strategy, but I can't deny that I was in a strange mood at the time because it was my first battle.

Although it worked out well in the end, it's also true that he blurted out things that he didn't need to say. It's a little late now, but he should apologize. Regardless of the outcome of the Holy Grail War, he'll probably never meet Saber again.

"...It doesn't matter. Thinking about it now, that method was probably the only correct answer for you all. You simply overcame difficulties with wisdom and courage. That is something to be praised, not blamed."

To my surprise, he praised me so highly. In an attempt to distract from the itching on my back, I decided to ask him about something that had been bothering me for a while.

"Hey Saber, how do you plan to use the Holy Grail?"

Saber looked a little surprised, as if she hadn't expected to be asked such a question, before answering.

"I wanted to change the past. If the Sword of Selection had chosen someone more worthy of being king than me, Britain might not have been destroyed. That's what I thought."

Tampering with the past? It's true that I have no choice but to rely on the Holy Grail, and it's a heartfelt wish. But...

"Hey, Saber."

Something I thought somewhere before.

Don't change the past, because it is your past that has shaped who you are today.

So I have no choice but to accept it, drink it up, and accept it as a part of myself. If I tried to erase it or change it, my current self would die.

Surely Saber already knew that. She didn't need a weak-willed brat like me to tell her.

Still, it is because I want to do something that I am fighting like this.

Knowing that, Saber gently held back his mouth as it dared to open.

"I know. Shirou scolded me yesterday."

Now that you mention it, Saber's words were in the past tense. Yesterday means they were on a date. Good job, Emiya.

Emiya held out his left hand and opened his mouth.

"Let's meet again after the Holy Grail War is over. By the way, introduce me to your sister. I'll also introduce you to Fuji-nee and Sakura."

"But I refuse."

"Hey"

"Sorry, it was just a reflex. I should tell you, my little sister won't do that."

"I didn't mean it that way..."

I know, it's really just a reflex.

Saber chuckled at the sight of us and held out her left hand.

"Take care, Hachiman. See you soon."

Once the Holy Grail War is over, Servants who have completed their role will disappear. There may be exceptions, such as the King of Heroes, but I don't think that's what Saber wants.

So, regardless of Emiya, this was sure to be my final farewell to Saber. There would surely be no "someday" or "again". But still.

"Yeah, see you later."

I said, taking Saber's hand.

Wishing for the safety of one's friends can't be deception.

"Hachiman-sama, could you please be my Master at least until we reach the church?"

The media started saying this right after it was decided last night that I would be leaving.

Using Rule Breaker, rearranging the Masters would be easy. When I looked at Tohsaka, she just shrugged her shoulders.

If Medea was going, the current Master, Tohsaka, would also accompany her.

Leaving this place unattended would be a problem, so I wanted to decline, but either way, it seems I need to report and gather information about the eighth Servant. So it's just a side thing.

And so, the Command Spell was shining on my left hand once again.

However, I couldn't see it. The media held my left arm tightly and wouldn't let go. So close, so soft, so close, such a nice smell.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the media, Tohsaka is mumbling something and it's really scary.

I had a vision of something unpleasant. I sincerely hope she doesn't turn out like Hiratsuka-sensei.

In the meantime, we arrived at the church.

"Kirei, are you there?"

Tohsaka exclaimed as she opened the large doors and stepped in. There was no reply.

It's hard to believe, but Kirei is apparently a person's name.

Kotomine Kirei.

He is a priest who was sent as the administrator of the Holy Grail War, and is apparently Tohsaka's senior apprentice and master.

When I asked him what kind of person he was, he replied that he was shady, but his skills were solid. But there's nothing reassuring about that. He's strong, but you can't trust him, so that's just a cause for concern.

"Hey, Kirei?"

Tohsaka walked inside and casually walked off with a brisk pace. I followed behind her.

To be honest, I didn't know why I did that.

However, before I knew it, I had kicked Tohsaka in the back with all my might.

Tohsaka left shoe prints on her back and was blown away without making a sound.

Using the momentum, I pushed the media down with my whole body and flew to the other side. Just as I was about to do so, I thought I heard a light, dry sound.

We both collapsed, then immediately got up. A black dagger was sticking out from where we had been standing a moment ago.

"I never thought they'd notice the surprise attack."

It came from right next door.

The voice was deep, yet somehow hollow.

Although it felt almost peaceful, he sensed something incredibly ominous about it, and jumped back in the opposite direction.

"Gebooo?!"

"Gyan!"

At the same time, he was hit in the side by a shock that sent him flying, and the distance between them became greater than he had expected.

I can't feel any pain because my pain receptors are dead, but I can't move my body at all. When I gagged from the rising nausea, a ridiculous amount of blood spilled out of my mouth. This must be my internal organs.

With a strange sweat pouring from his entire body, he somehow managed to lift his head. He couldn't raise it all the way and could only see the floor, but at the edge of his vision he caught sight of the legs of a man clad in black.

At his feet, Medea was clutching her stomach and writhing in agony. It seems that when I was hit earlier, the same person had stepped on my solar plexus.

I couldn't see his face because I couldn't lift my eyes, but the man in black seemed to be looking at me.

"You collapsed after receiving my thrust? Who are you, really?"

The reason I didn't fall down was simply because I somehow managed to keep my balance when I was blown away. So it would be more accurate to say that I "couldn't fall down." But that didn't really matter to either of us.

The man quietly walked towards me and stopped in front of me. The cross on his chest glowed.

"The movements themselves are amateurish. Anyway, I'd like you to leave now."

The man's right hand moved.

He somehow manages to trap his left arm, and his face is pulverized along with the blocking arm.

For a moment, I felt like my body was floating. A few moments later, I felt a shock all over my body. I was blown away again, and it felt like I was slammed into something. My body stopped moving completely.

"Hachiman-sama!"

That's the last shriek from the media.

My consciousness was cut off there.